Birdwatcher Mya-Rose Craig: 'The nature sector is decades behind in terms of diversity'

The birder and activist on increasing access to nature, why it's important to be an optimist, and the joys of Cambridge University's Taylor Swift societyMya-Rose Craig is a 20-year-old birdwatcher and activist who grew up in a village near Bristol. She has been a birder since birth (well, her first trip was at nine days old) and, aged 17, became the youngest person to see half the world's 10,000-plus species of birds. Craig is also the founder of the charity Black2Nature, which encourages children from minority ethnic backgrounds to spend time in nature. Her memoir, Birdgirl, is a lyrical appreciation of a lifelong obsession, and a powerful account of the Craig family's attempts to manage her mother's bipolar disorder.Straight after this interview, you are going to be on stage with Billie Eilish at the O2 for her climate festival, Overheated. Do events like this give you hope that your generation will have an impact on the climate crisis?Oh, it's absolutely bonkers. But I always really enjoy doing events like this, where someone with this massive platform and massive influence is using that for good. It feels very similar to going to Cop26 with Emma Watson. Just meeting these incredibly dedicated, passionate people, I think: "How can you not feel hopeful about the future when these people just care so much, and are working so hard?" And I think you do have to be an optimist to be an environmental activist. Continue reading...